Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

I have used an online auction website since 2007. Recently I posted some items to sell, two days later I received a phone call on my cell phone from a man wanting to buy my items that were on this auction website. I had not contacted or responded to anybody about these items before this phone call. Now, not only did this person have my cell phone number, he also knew my first name which shocked me and I was hesitant to talk to him. He wanted to purchase my items for cash outside of the website. I didn't think of it at the time I was on the phone with him to ask how he obtained my information, but I decided to call him back and ask him. He said "from (online auction site)". That worried me, if he had access to my name and number, he could possibly know my address and/or my financial numbers. Aren't these big online trading companies supposed to keep that information away from other people? Right off the bat I felt this was a major privacy issue and makes me a bit paranoid and upset. Please help.


Asked on 6/11/11, 5:47 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

What information is available is a matter of the company's posted privacy policies and most likely your own account settings. As long as the company has not breached it's privacy policy or deceived you by placing settings in your account that said things would be private and then they weren't, there is no legal issue here.

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Answered on 6/11/11, 5:54 pm


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